Lothian and Ygdree
Lothian and Ygdree formed a united kingdom under the same sovereign for most of their History. A large country when united, with a formidable trading and war Navy, second largest after Cartagen. The country's church is faithful to the Council of Plancy. The country is currently under civil war with a force of nobles faithful to the Magnus. The Country's ruler is King Charles of Ygdree, married to princess Anna of Fynn, daughter to King Helmut of Fynn. Geography Lothian Lothian in large country, touching both on the eastern and western coast of Ostpfalz. Most of the land is dominated by hills and lowland pastures, wwith only a few small mountain ranges. To the north the country is bordered by the Anghorst mountaint ranger, the tallest mountains range in the Eastern world. The capital city of Harwick is a major trading port on the country's western coast and the main anchorage for the Royal Navy. The country is devided in 180 Fifes. Ygdree Ygdree is a small country perched upon the slopes and plateaus of the South Anghorst mountains. It is a densly forested, highland area, with several lakes. The country's capital is Falkirk, a large castle-city and port inside a wide, navigateable river that gives it access to the Great Eastern Ocean and protects it from invasion. Kingsport The country has recently acquired Kingsport, a major trading port that was controled by both Lothian and Cartagen, until the capture of the Treasure Galleon Santa Anna by Vice Admiral Wallace. The port rests upon a small rocky islet 1800nm off the western coast of Ostpfalz. King's Crest King's Crest is the largest colony of Ygdree on the southern part of the former Erkatian empire. History Establishment - Independence The country's regions and tribes were first united in 566 by King Horsa of Wachtburg dynasty, who incorporated them into the Heremian empire. (a large kingdom containing what is today Thuringia, Ygdree, Lothian and the independents kingdoms to the north of them). The country won it's independence in 579 when it was given to Horsa's grandson Francis, as a gift for his wedding with the daughter of the Theng of the area, Mary of Lothian, of the Leiff dynasty. Since then the country is independent but the rulling dynasties are always close to those of Thuringia, a bond that is often renewed by marriage. The Church Coup and Independence of Ygdree In 1269, after the Council of Ministers in Plancy, King Eric II of Lothian and Ygdree wishes for the Lothian Church to join the Sectarian churches at the Council and denounce the authority of the Magnus. Being of Wachtburg descent he is propably receiving pressure from Thuringia on this. Since the country's independence the noblemen of Ygdree have been at least slightly discomforted by the fact that the whole country if ruled by a dynasty of Thuringian and Lothian descent (Wachtburgs and Leiffs). Noble families, mainly from Ygdree disagree with Eric's decision, mainly for political reasons, though the church of Ygdree supports them. When the King visits them to reason with them in Lamert, a short civil war breaks out, commanded by a group of noblemen and the Archbishop of Ygdree, and the King is arrested and decapitated. The event is remembered as the Church Coup and is a major celebration in Lamert. The Lothian church joins the Sectarian churches but Ygdree becomes an autonomous Kingdom and remains in the Cognitarian Church (under the Magnus). The nobles of Ygdree declare the family of Lairig Grhu '''as the countries sovereign family. A parliament if formed with 89 members to assist the king in legislature in the model of Lothian. Reign of Charles, First Reformation. King Charles (current sovereign) takes over '''the throne of Ygdree at the age of 16 in 1388. he comes from a Sectarian family and a group of Cognitarian nobles, fearing a possible religious reform in the country, abduct the young King and imprison him in Lamert. A symbolic location, since Eric was slain there for trying to reform the country's religion. The coup is led by the Bothwell family, the strongest Cognitarian family in the country with enduring ties to the court of Magnus. Bothwell is unofficial King Regent during that time. In 1389, a group of foreign Sectarian diplomats, mainly from Thuringia, secretly cooperate with local Sectarian families, in the fear that the Magnus is trying to establish a puppet King in the throne of Ygdree. They storm the castle were Charles was kept and free him. He resumes the throne, brings the country into the Sectarian churches, denying the Magnus, but forgives the Cognitarian nobles and allows Cognitarians to worship openly in Ygdree. In a symbolic act of goodwill he offers Bothwell an earldom in Lamert. The Heist of Santa Anna In the fall of 1401, King Eric IV of Lothian is seriously ill. He has no heir and the first two people in the line of descent are his two nephews. William, from his father's side has for many years been appointed Duke of Kingsport and is the orchestrator of the long standing trading sooperation between Lothian and Cartagen in the city. The other nephew is Charles of Ygdree, from his mother's side. William has an edge in the race since in dynasties of Thuringian descent the father lineage is considered stronger, yet things soon change. A Lothian captain, Roderick Wallace, attacks and captures the large Cartegan Gold Galleon Santa Anna, one of the largest ships in the Gold Armada. In the confusion that ensues, diplomatic relations between Lothian and Cartagen are ruined, since, despite the fact that Wallace brought the Santa Anna to Kingsport, he fled to the Lothian Capital of Harwick and was not arrested. Cartagen withdrew from Kingsport, declaring war against Lothian in case Wallace was not executed as a pirate. Wallace in fact has fled to safety in Fallkirk, under the protection of Charles. With a possible war imminent, when king Eric dies, the church of Lothian and the Parliament agree that Cartegan-friendly William would be a very risky choise as king, and they give the Crown to Charles, who become King of the Reunited Kingdom of Ygdree and Lothian. One of his first acts as king is to establish Wallace, who was indeed in Fallkirk, to the rank of Vice Admiral. he also choses to keep the two parliaments of Lothian and Ygdree seperate for the time being. The Battle of Humbert During the early days of December, 1401, a large Cartegan Fleet sails north towards Falkirk and the Ygdrian Navy, cut off from the larger Lothian naval force is preparing to face them with the help of the Fynnian navy. The two fleets meet off the Humbert Isles, near the Eastern coast of Lothian on December 23. In the ensuing battle Wallace forms two line and approaches the Cartegan line in a line astern formation, downwind. His First rate flagship protects smaller ships from the Cartegan line. As the lines meet he crushes into the Cartegan First rate and obliges it, through the use of Captain Beric's Kedge ship forces it to a sharp starboard turn, essentially cutting the Cartegan line in half and disabling its front part, that would to make a long upwind turn to rejoin the battle. The strategy is a great success, partly thanks to a daring stunt by the Orc Mulgragh of Dayne's crew, which board and singlehandedly disables the Cartegan First Rate's Kedge ship, greately reducing its manuverability. The Cartegans retreat. after 11 hours of combat. The King issues a proclamation on the next day stating: *That Lygeia and Cartegan acted on the command of the Magnus who is desperately trying to manipulate the independent churches. *That Cognitarian conspirators within the country exist and will be dealt with. *That his official corronation as king of Lothian will take place in 10 days, when the loyalists that took part in the battle of Humbert will be rewarded. * Marriage to Anne of Fynn and Witchcraft Meanwhile, King Charles of Lothian and Ygdree has travelled to Fynn, to bring home his new bride, princess Anna from her home country (Fynn). During the voyage, a terrible storm wrecks his ship and drives him ashore. The King is convinced it is an act of Witchcraft against his throne, possibly a secret conspiracy of Cognitarian nobles that want a Cognitarian King on the throne. A witch hunt starts both in Fynn and Ygdree. In Fynn witch hunter Heinrich Kramer, arrests and executes 68 witches, that according to him confessed a conspiracy against the King. The King arrives in Falkirk on December 17 and is impressed by Kramer's work. He summons him and any other able witch hunters he knows of (John Stearne among the most prestigious.) In the following days a lot of changes take places in Ygdree. 84 Cognitarian nobles are arrested, accused of plotting through Witchcraft to murder the King. The parliament seats are reduced to 65 from 89 and new members are appointed. Among the conspirators accused are influential figures of the Falkirk nobility, like the Court Astrologer Grahame and Ewfame Macalyene, the wife of a rich Burgess of the Admiralty, Ernst Johannes. A large assize is formed. Witchfinder John Stearn, Heinrich Kramer and Adolf Johannes are members. Most of the culprits are found to be innocent, yet Johannes votes against his wife, Ewfame, who confesses in prison that there is indeed to slay the King on the day of hia marriage. Most of the accusations are based on the fact that some of the accused were members of the Lamert Coven. The Assize member are arrested for Willful Error in Assize, and many of the 84 culprit are held to be reexamined. Foilling of the Gunpowder Plot A group of loyalists to king Charles, Father Maximillian Roth, recently appointed Bishop of Lamert, William Carlisle, Burgh of Danrock, Lord Royk Alemebert, Fife of Lamert, Captain Beric Dayne, Burgh of Anhalt and ship commander in the battle fo Humbert and Mulghragh the Orc, hero of the battle in Humbert, decide to secretly investigate the claims of Macalyane. They manage to reveal a plot to assassinate the king on his corronation by blowing up the corronation chapel, using gunpowder stolen from the admiralty armoury. Johannes seems to be connected with it, who commits suicide in prison and also Kramer, who seems to be xpecting a ship from Fynn on the day of the corronation, containing a sect known as the "Holy Gate". A secret gathering nobles, organised by the Loyalist group manages to storm the chapel, locate and arrest the incoming vessel and attack Kramer, who has retreated to the estate of the Fynnian Ambassador in Falkirk, guarded by his personal Norse Guard. The King is informed in the middle of the night of the events and the involvement of Kramer, but no proof can be provided. On the next day the coronation takes place in Falkirk, instead of the chapel and the King announces he will not instantly meet the parliament as is customary. The lords are uneasy about his decision, but Carlisle, claimming that there is probably a foreign threat against the country, manages to hold them back for now. Meahwhile the Fymnian ship containing the Holy Gate, the only remaining lead to the motivs of the Gunpowder Plot is held in the port of Falkirk. Lord Royk Alembert is assigned as the Crown's ambassador. In the peaceful discussion that ensue the motives of the plot are revealed. Johannes and Kramer, both masters of Purifier orders would assassinate the King and use the claim of Anna of Fynn on the throne of Ygdree (due to her expected child heir) and Kramer's influence on her to form a Purifier Kingdom for the first time in Ostpfaltz. The Holy Gate claim they had no part in the planning of the plot and although their claim seems frail, the King accepts their homages and allows them to enter the country. The Second Reformation and Civil War With the church and Parliament of Ygdree in disarray, King Charles published a pamphlet entitled ''The True Law of Free Monarchies; or, The Reciprocal and Mutual Duty Betwixt a Free King and His Natural Subjects. ''The pamphlet sets forth Charles' philosophy of royal absolutism and its divine sanction, setting the terms for new disputes about sovereignty, divine right, and the role of parliaments and subjects. It places the sovereign beyond the reach of any higher authority, except for God and uses the examples of the Cognitarian attacks and Purifier plots as proofs that even church should be subject to the sovereign. The document is soon followed by an Act making Cognitarian worship illegal. The Church of Ygdree is slow to either support or condemn the document, mainly out of fear, but the Parliament and Church of Lothian are divided. Loyalist Lothian nobles move to the north towards Ygdree, while Cognitarian Ygdrian nobles move to Lothian with their troops under the command of Bothwell. Lamert becomes the border between the two forces, but no conflict has yet occurred. The Dayne Expedition and the Opium Grasp By the January of 1402 the King has already asked Vice Admiral Wallace to prepare an expedition to the North, in the hopes of acquiring contact with the Orcs to the North-west and establishing a stable opium trade. The realization of the expedition is in fact of great political value to Charles. The expedition is a peace offering towards the Royal Society of Lothian that would oversee the proceeding, and would receive 50% of the opium trade (the percentage the King pledged to them), making them, except for a scientific institution, one of the most formidable trading organisations in the world. The Royal Society of Lothian is quick to accept the offer and pledges the forces of its 75 noble houses. The greatest part of Lothian troops withdraw their support from Bothwell and the independence of Lothian and leave the Bothwell force surrounded amidst the mountains of Lamert. The Third Reformation In March 1402 Charles publishes a Document where he claims the Church cannot be, in a state rulled by a divine monarch pose an independent authority. As an example he cites the Cognitarian church, where the Magnus is ofvten able to manipulate secular sovereigns. He then adorn himself with the title ''Defender of the Faith ''thus claimming authority over the churches of Ygdree and Lothian. The churches offer no resistance to this, raising suspicion that the act had already been agreed upon. Category:The Lands